Katie's Hope

Katie couldn't help the sense of panic growing within her. She rubbed her scarred arm and glanced up at the sky, which had begun to lighten. Helga led her to the men's wing of the Sanctuary and opened a door to a room smaller than Katie's.

Sasha's face was a mottled mess that made him resemble Frankenstein's monster, with newly sewn stitches holding together the edges of swollen red gashes. She took in the bandages around his chest and arms. He looked as if he'd survived a run-in with a blender.

"He is an Ancient," she said. "Sasha."

Helga gasped. "The first to betray the Council and serve the Dark One?"

"The onlyto betray the council and serve the Dark One!" Katie shot back in irritation. Rhyn had done neither of those things, despite the legend he had! The distinction was lost on Helga, whose look of horror made Katie pity the woman.

"He cannot be here," Helga said. "But by the Code, I cannot throw him outside the walls when he is so injured."

Katie hesitated to speak her mind, her gaze taking in Sasha's beat-up body. It wasn't a coincidence he was there. She debated with herself about his intentions. Would he go to this extent to be granted admittance, even though he might not survive long enough to get whatever it was he came for? What had he come for? Her or Hannah? Refuge from the demons?

"Was he carrying anything?" she asked. "Or was there anything in his pockets?" "I'm not sure. If he was, it would be in the trunk under his bed."

Katie inched forward, terrified he'd leap off the bed to attack her. She eased the small trunk out from under his bed and carried it into the hallway. She set it down and opened it. His shredded clothing had been laundered and folded. Pulling it out, she sucked in a breath and withdrew a familiar vial of blood. She stared at the discovery in her hands. With the castle flooded by demons, she didn't know where she could take the vial to keep it from Sasha when he woke.

Whatever Sasha's plan had been, it must've backfired. He'd never risk losing something so valuable! Without replacing the clothing, she tucked the vial into her pocket and rose.

"Is there an Immortal named Ully here?" she asked.

"Not that I recall," Helga said. "There are four Sanctuaries. The Ancient Kris probably contacted the other three, because we only have about forty Immortal refugees here now. We're the smallest Sanctuary by far."